The present invention relates generally to collating and binding systems and methods, and more particularly to a system for collating signatures into individual books, arranging the books for efficient mailing and generating an indication of postage therefor.
One prior type of collating and binding system is disclosed in Riley et al U.S. Pat. No. 4,121,818, assigned to the assignee of the instant application. This collating and binding system discloses a plurality of signature feeders disposed adjacent a conveyor, the signature feeders being individually operated by a programmable controller so that customized books are built in accordance with information contained on a magnetic tape. Means are provided along the conveyor to detect defective books. These defective books are removed from the conveyor by a diverter which is operated by the programmable controller.
The above system disclosed in Riley et al is useful to permit customized information and/or signatures to be placed in books produced during a single production run. In other words, each book can be customized for the person to whom it is to be sent.
These books are then collated and bound in a sequence such that the resulting books can be easily bundled to take advantage of postal discounts or to meet Post Office requirements.
The assembling of customized books in a particular sequence to permit bundling according to postal regulations is difficult to achieve in an optimal fashion in the event a defective book is detected, rejected and reordered by the system. In such a case, the Riley et al system compares the mailing information of the defective book with the mailing information of the book adjacent the first signature feeder (or the "most recent book") to determine the optimal time to reorder the book. For example, if the defective book and the most recent book have the same zip code, the defective book can be immediately reordered and grouped with other books having the same zip code to obtain postal discounts. However, if the zip code of the most recent book is different than that of the defective book, then the defective book is reordered following the last book within the same sectional center facility, or SCF, destination. As these examples illustrate, the time for reordering is determined in accordance with a comparison of the mailing information of the defective book with the mailing information of the most recent book on the conveyor.
In some cases when a book is found to be defective and is reordered, the book may no longer qualify for a certain postal discount and may instead be subject to a higher postal rate. For example, a book may be originally classified in a discount classification along with other books to be delivered to the same five digit zip code area. If this book is found to be defective and is reordered at a time such that it no longer is grouped with other books of the same zip code, then this book may not qualify for the discount postage rate previously applicable. The Riley et al system noted above is not capable of generating an indication of the change in postage, if any, caused by the reordering of the defective book.
It may also happen that the reordering of a defective book may cause not only the reordered book to be subject to a higher postal rate but also cause the other books with which the reordered book was originally grouped to be subject to a higher rate, since the remaining books may not meet the minimum requirements, either in terms of number or weight, for the postal discount. The Riley et al system noted above is not capable of generating an indication of the change in postal rate of a group of books as the result of a reordering of one or more books in the group.